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RIYADH (News Agencies) - The gulf press on Sunday warned of grave consequences if Iraq, which has accused Kuwait of stealing oil, undertakes a new military campaign against the emirate.
"Since Saddam Hussein took power [in 1979] Iraq has failed to adopt stable policies and has always looked for an enemy, sometimes Syria, sometimes Turkey, Iran, Gulf countries or the West," wrote Saudi Arabia's Al-Jazirah. "In all his decisions Saddam shows scant concern for Iraq, rather a need to satisfy a repugnant penchant for revenge from deep within him which he directs against the Iraqi people or neighboring countries," said the paper. Al-Bilad said Iraq was trying to provoke another crisis with Kuwait. "A military riposte awaits Iraq if it considers undertaking a new ill-considered action, when its military strength today is only a shadow of what it was," the newspaper said. The Mecca daily Al-Nadwa said, "The latest threats made by the Iraqi regime against Kuwait betray its intentions against this country but Saddam Hussein should avoid carrying them out if he does not want to dig his own grave." "Saddam Hussein's regime should avoid provocations and threats against others because the international community will not allow a fresh adventure, and its response will have grave consequences." In the United Arab Emirates, Al-Khaleej questioned, "what profit can the Iraqi people gain from Baghdad's brinkmanship, which led to the catastrophe of 1990," when Kuwait was invaded. Al-Khaleej advised Baghdad not to rely on Russia, France or China to line up against the U.S. "Such a gamble is destined to fail as previous experience has shown." Dubai's Al-Bayan newspaper also warned of "grave consequences which could set the whole region alight." It urged Arab countries "to intervene to calm the situation down and defuse the crisis before it worsens." The emirate's English language daily Gulf News took a similar stance. "The last thing this region needs is another conflict. Saddam should desist from making any provocative moves which are going to bring further misery to its innocent people," it said. "If there is indeed a disagreement over oil wells, it should be settled through diplomacy and not allowed to escalate any further." Iraq on Thursday accused Kuwait of stealing oil from a field near the border - the same charge that sparked the 1990 invasion - and warned it would "take adequate measures that guarantee its rights of sovereignty over its oil riches." |
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